Congratulations! You're ready to start learning the ABC's of caring for the newest member of your family.

Your veterinarian is the best source of information about your puppy. But this guide is an easy way to start building a healthy, happy life for you and your pet.

We want your puppy to be as healthy as it can be. That's why Hill's has formulated Science Diet brand pet food products with complete and balanced nutrition, including the Healthy Defense System, which provides your puppy with important antioxidants to help avoid disease and maintain immune system function.

So keep browsing our site to begin learning more about your pet. And again, Congratulations on your new puppy!

A Name! - Short names are easier for your puppy to recognize.

Identification - Every year, millions of companion animal are lost, so identification is a must. Include your name and phone number on an easily readable tag. As an added measure, you may also consider microchip identification.

Food & water dishes - Must be durable and easily cleaned. Ceramic or stainless steel is recommended.

Collar & leash - The collar should fit snugly but allow for 1-2 fingers width of space between collar and neck.

Grooming aids - A dog brush and mild shampoo. Your veterinarian can recommend a good nail clipper.

Toys - Chew toys can prevent your new companion from deciding your furniture looks good enough to eat. Balls and knotted ropes are also great. (But avoid tug of war and other games that encourage your puppy to fight with you).

Bedding - It should be washable. The first few nights, your new pet might be lonesome or afraid. A radio on low or a ticking clock can help soothe your puppy to sleep.

Crate training - A good idea to have one. Crate training is the easiest and fastest way to train your new puppy. By placing your puppy in a crate at night or when you are not at home will save on unwanted accidents and destructive behavior while left alone. The crate must provide a safe, quiet place for your puppy. Never use the crate as punishment with your puppy. The crate size is important. Your puppy should have just enough room to turn around comfortably inside the crate. Puppies usually will not potty where they sleep. Housetraining your puppy can be easier when using a crate. Always take your puppy outside to potty after being in the crate. Never allow the puppy to roam freely in your house unless the puppy did his/her business outside. If the puppy did not do his/her business outside, place the puppy back in the crate for a while before allowing him/her to roam freely in your home. Repeat this process until you know the puppy went outside. Young puppies should not be in the crate for more then a few hours at a time until older. Bladders in young puppies are not developed enough to hold their urine for more then a few hours at a time. Gradually increase their time inside the crate as they grow. More info about crate training

When you decide where you want your puppy to sleep, take into consideration, which areas of the house or yard are going to be off limits. To make house training easier, it's a good idea to restrict the freedom of a new puppy in both the house and yard.

Puppies are known to chew on anything. That could mean furniture, slippers, the siding on your house, etc. Remember that chewing is normal behavior for a puppy, so provide safe toys to satisfy this need. We recommend trying Kong toys for your new puppy. Kong toys are a great way to keep your puppy occupied. You can place bits of the puppy's food inside the toys, therefore your puppy will keep busy trying to get the food out. Ask about Kong toys during your next visit to our clinic!

Put your kitchen trash in either the garage or high enough to be out of your puppy's reach. Child safety gates can be a great way to keep your puppy out of certain rooms in your home.

The right start is so important. The proof is in the pet food. And the food you choose to feed your puppy during the first year is critical to its adult development, health and growth. Science Diet brand pet food is especially designed by Hill's veterinary nutritionists to provide all the nutrition your puppy needs. Complete nutrition, without excesses of deficiencies, helps avoid health problems. And a food fortified with antioxidants provides extra protection from disease. Science Diet has it all. Feeding the right food throughout its life also helps your dog avoid adult diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart and kidney disease, to name a few.

If your puppy is currently eating a brand other than Science Diet, your veterinarian will explain how to gradually transition your puppy's food to a new one.

Potentially, you'll be faced with many dog food choices. But we recommend Science Diet for your puppy.

Our Veterinarian's recommend Science Diet and can help you choose the formula that's right for your pet, during every stage of life. All Science Diet dry foods are enhanced to provide appropriate levels of antioxidants for the most advanced nutrition. It works like this: pollution, UV light, etc. coupled with your puppy's metabolism, create free radicals every day. Free radicals attack cells, causing damage, which can result in a weakened immune system and possibly serious disease.

The antioxidants (Vitamins E & C, Beta Carotene and Selenium) in the Healthy Defense System have been shown to reduce the damage caused by free radicals. The help maintain your pet's immune system and help protect it against the risk of disease.

The Health Defense System is just one more nutritional line of defense in Science Diet dry products. Remember, starting early is important for lifetime protection.

Know what is healthy and normal, and report any abnormalities to your veterinarian as soon as possible. Your veterinarian has the most up-to-date advice on all of your puppy's ailments.

EYES: Should be bright and clear. Any discharge in the corners should be gently removed with a cotton ball soaked in warm water, wiping away from the eye.

EARS: Should be clean and free of discharge and odor. Ear problems are painful and can cause hearing loss if not treated.

NOSE: Should be wet, clean and without discharge or sores.

MOUTH: Gums should be pink and healthy. Teeth need to be clean and tartar-free. Bad breath equals poor dental health. Check lips for sores.

COAT: Your puppy's coat should be shiny and clean.

WEIGHT: Do a rib check - with you hands facing down, thumbs on your dog's spine, run your hands along its sides. Can't easily feel its ribs? Your pet is overweight and at risk for health problems. Consult your veterinarian for nutrition advice.

Every year in the United States, between four and six million companion animals end up in animal shelters. Many of these animals are euthanized.

Research has shown that spayed or neutered pets live longer. Sterilizing your pet also reduces the risk of certain types of cancer and other health problems. We strongly encourage you to have your pet spayed or neutered early in life (about 6 months of age) in order to help address the problem of pet population and ensure cats and dogs in the U.S. are not treated as if they are disposable.

Give us a call to discuss the advantages of spaying and neutering your pet today.

All pets must be up-to-date on their vaccinations 1 week prior to surgery date.

Puppy Class: You're the Boss: It's vital to your relationship with your pet that you establish good leadership early on. Proper training enhances your relationship.

The best way to train your puppy is by enrolling it in puppy class. It helps owners teach their dogs to respond to different commands, thereby establishing control.

Your veterinarian can help you find a good training school. When checking out possible schools, look for a clean facility and a trainer who enjoys working with dogs and uses positive techiques. When your puppy hits those rebellious "teenage doggy years," (age 6 months to a year), take a refresher course, if necessary, to reaffirm control.

The more your puppy interacts with other people and other puppies, the more socialized and well-behaved your dog will be.

Basic Discipline:

When training at home, here are some basic techniques to keep in mind:

* Consistency in what you say and do is crucial.

* Correct your puppy when it's wrong. Praise it when it's right.

* Never resort to physical punishment.

* Say "NO!" or "STOP!" in a firm voice.as a proper means of correction. The idea is to startle the puppy while performing the bad behavior.

* Your puppy's resistance to a leash and collar will diminish the more frequently it wears them.

Exercise is very important to the physical and mental health of your pet. Fitness is also the first step in avoiding obesity and the problems that come with it.

Puppies love exercise - as well as the added attention they get from spending time with you. Remember, you should be especially careful not to over-exercise your puppy. This may adversely affect its growth and development. Check with your veterinarian before staring an exercise program for your puppy.

Go to the park today. Throw a ball. Or, if it's winter, take a romp in the snow. It'll do you both good and strengthen your relationship.

For more information on your new puppy please call us at Lincoln County Animal Hospital, our staff will strive to get the right answers for you.